The next Batman movie will start filming in early 2026 – but it's got nothing to do with The Dark Knight's debut in James Gunn's DCU

• Principal photography will begin on the next Batman movie in early 2026
• It's got nothing to do with the superhero's eventual debut in the DC Universe
• Cameras will start rolling on the long-gestating sequel to The Batman instead

It's been three and a half years since The Batman was released in theaters – and after numerous setbacks and delays, there's light at the end of the tunnel for its long-awaited sequel.

Today (August 7), Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) confirmed filming will finally get underway on The Batman Part II in early 2026. The entertainment giant confirmed the news in a shareholder letter that accompanied its Q2 2025 earnings report.

The reveal is the second piece of good news that's arrived recently. In late June, Matt Reeves, co-creator of the DC comic book franchise known more widely as The Batman Epic Crime Saga, announced the film's script had been completed. At the time, Reeves, who directed The Batman and who'll helm its follow-up, took to Instagram to post an image of the finished screenplay alongside co-writer Mattson Tomlin.

Before this pair of relief-inducing announcements, fans had grown increasingly concerned about the fate of Reeves' next Batman film. There were reasons why the superhero flick was trapped in development hell, including issues that had impacted Reeves' private life.

However, while many fans sympathized with Reeves over said personal problems, others were growing increasingly frustrated with the amount of time it was taking to get The Batman 2 off the ground. It was left to James Gunn to placate those individuals in mid-June, with DC Studios' co-CEO telling fans that The Batman Part II hadn't been canceled and that they should "let him [Reeves] do this thing" – aka, give him space to finish co-penning its script.

Thankfully, The Batman 2's troubled road appears to be coming to an end. Indeed, with the film not set to hit theaters until October 2027 – its revised launch date was one of six big stories that broke over the 2024 holiday season – there's plenty enough time for Reeves and company to shoot the DC Universe (DCU) adjacent movie, and complete its likely lengthy post-production phase.

Speaking of the DCU, Gunn and Peter Safran's rebooted cinematic universe got a major update in February, which included news on whether The Batman Epic Crime Saga would be folded into it. There's been some movement on The Brave and the Bold, the Batman film that was announced as part of the DCU Chapter One line-up in January 2023, too. For the latest on that big-screen offering, check out my DCU Chapter One guide.

For more on Reeves' next project starring the world's greatest detective, read my dedicated guide on The Batman Part II. Oh, and remind yourself what happened in The Penguin – aka The Batman's first spin-off – and how it might set up the sequel film's story by reading my ending explainer on The Penguin.

The Batman and The Penguin are available to stream on HBO Max (US and Australia), Sky/Now TV (UK), and more of the world's best streaming services where you live.

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